Major Brisbane courthouse upgrades to better support and protect victims

• The Crisafulli Government is delivering a major funding boost of more than $34 million to support victims of crime at Brisbane Magistrates Court.
• Upgrades include new courtrooms, an extra safe room and vulnerable witness space, as well as other security, lighting and safety improvements. 
• $26 million in capital works funding and $8.4 million under the Domestic and Family Violence Courthouse Improvement Program to make courts safer and ensure matters can be heard sooner.
• The Crisafulli Government is making courts across the State safer for victims, after Labor critically underfunded these vital programs.  

The Crisafulli Government is delivering faster and safer access to justice for victim-survivors with a major $34.4 million funding boost for upgrades at the Brisbane Magistrates Court.  

The Domestic and Family Violence upgrades include a new courtroom, construction of a new secondary safe room, refurbishment of the existing safe room, and a new vulnerable witness space with video conferencing facilities, giving victim-survivors a private and secure area to provide evidence. 

The Crisafulli Government is delivering more protections for victims of crime with better-equipped courts and restoring safety where you live after Labor’s decade of decline. 

Last financial year, the Brisbane Magistrates Court dealt with 2,088 applications for domestic violence orders and more than 4,143 charges of contravening a domestic violence order.  

The project also includes two new courtrooms, registry refurbishment, a new holding cell and secure dock, security, lighting, and improvements to fire safety, as part of the capital works program. 

The upgrades include $8.4 million as part of the Domestic and Family Violence Courthouse Improvement program, and $26 million under the Minor Capital Works Program. 

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said she was very proud to deliver these critical upgrades that support victim-survivors through the justice process. 

“The Brisbane Magistrates Court upgrade will deliver better court facilities which were seriously underfunded by the former Labor government,” the Attorney-General said. 

“The Crisafulli Government has prioritised saving these critical upgrades to keep women and children safe, just like we said we would. 

“It is all about putting the rights of victims ahead of the rights of offenders and making sure the justice system holds them to account.”  

The Crisafulli Government injected a further $18.8 million to secure the complete roll-out of the DFV Courthouse Improvement Program across eight locations, following Labor’s decade of decline.  

Work on the DFV safety enhancements is being prioritised and will commence in the coming weeks, while the broader capital works program will be completed over the next two years.

DFV upgrades to Ipswich and Caboolture courthouses are already complete, and projects at Toowoomba, Cairns, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, and Mackay courthouses are underway. 

ENDS